Mad River Outfitters Professional Fly Fishing Guides

Mad River Outfitters boasts a full complement of professional fly fishing guides and below you will learn more about who they are and what their specialties are.
Be sure to see our Guide Service page for details and pricing on booking a trip.

Learn more about the unique talents and background of each of our guides by selecting their name below.

Blane Chocklett

Nico Gonzalez

Brian Flechsig

Mad River, Largemouth Bass, lead instructor, trip host

Along with serving as lead instructor and a guide for Mad River Outfitters, he is also the founder and President of the company! Brian started his guiding career right here on the Mad River in Ohio in 1989. He spent the last 9 years guiding folks in hot pursuit of trophy largemouth at the Wilds. With the recent changes in our service over there, the 2010 season finds him with nearly 30 days off and able to better oversee the entire guiding operations here at MRO. You will notice some new partnerships and new guides!! He does occaisionally still find a few days a season to float the Mad River in his AuSable River boat when requested. Brian is also planning a return to the largemouth bass business in the Spring of 2013- and will also be doing a selected number of floats in his legendary AuSable boat.

**For 2014, Brian is hosting our Bonefish trip in February, Belize with Flip Pallot in April and the Slide Inn Trip in July/August with his old buddy Kelly Galloup

Graham Stokes

Graham is an independent guide who works very closely with Mad River Outfitters. He has and does occaisionally work part-time in the shop as well as guides and also runs our "One-Day Fly Fishing Schools" as well as the Orvis Ohio 2-Day Fly Fishing Schools.

He worked right beside Brian at the Wilds for many seasons and now chases steelhead, smallmouth and just about anything you can catch here in Ohio. He does find a few days also to show a few folks around the Clearfork River for Browns here in Central Ohio.

In addition to serving as lead instructor on our 1-Day and 2-Day Fly Fishing Schools for 2014, Graham will also be hosting a trip to Soaring Eagle Lodge on the San Juan River, our August Alaska Trip, and a streamer trip to Gate's AuSable lodge in Michigan.

Andy Jensen- "The Fly-N-Carp"

Andy is the captain of the now famous "Fly-N-Carp" and serves as "Head Carp Guide"....a position that nobody else wanted! Seroiusly though....he is a carp fishing expert and a true professional at what he does. One of the more unique guide experiences to be had in the country! Click here to learn more about the Fly-N-Carp.

For 2014, Andy will also be hosting our Tarpon Trip to El Pescador Lodge as well as the Amazon Peacock Bass- other than that you will find him on the skiff living out of his YETI cooler(s).

Jerry Darkes

Great Lakes Steelhead, Ohio warmwater, MRO instructor

We have been working with Jerry for over 15 years now! He is a true pioneer in the Erie Steelhead fishery and one of the "original" steelhead guides in the region. His guiding is limited and by request so if you are interested in fishing with him just let us know!

John Rochus

Erie Steelhead, MRO instructor

John has been guiding for us on the Erie tribs for well over ten years now and is certainly a client favorite. He keeps saying that he's going to retire but his loyal clients just won't seem to let him. His many years as a school teacher make him one of the most patient and thoughtful teachers you can find in a steelhead guide. He also does some guiding on the Clearfork River in Ohio when the steelhead are in the lake. His services are by request and somewhat limited....just let us know.

Patrick Kelly

Mad River, Central Ohio Smallmouth/Carp, Southern Ohio Muskie

Patrick Kelly has been fishing the streams in Ohio since he was a young boy. He has been honing his skills in recent years and has become one heck of a fishing guide. We are thrilled to offer his services to our clients. He will be doing a good majority of our walk-in trips on the Mad...as well as offering a few local smallmouth excursions.

**His latest venture is trophy stream Muskie fishing in Southern Ohio. We are working on the details now, as of Spring 2010, and should have pictures and info soon. You WILL read about what he is doing down there.

Jeff Liskay

Jerry Darkes says that Jeff Liskay is the single best angler that you will ever meet! If you know us you know Jerry, and that is saying ALOT! When we got the chance to work with Jeff here at MRO we jumped at the chance.

Jeff will be running a limited number of Steelhead guides trips in the Erie region each season. We are especially excited about the fact that he can specialize in Spey/Switch techniques and he is quickly becoming a big name in the science. Jeff will also be hosting our July Alaska Trip alongside Jerry Darkes.

Capt. Brian Meszaros

Lake Sinclair, Detroit River, MRO instructor

Having served with 7th Group Special Forces and retired from professional Firefighting, Capt. Brian a current USCG licensed Captain has been guiding, writing, filming television shows and conducting seminars since 1992.
Being an innovator in the sport, he became the original fly fishing guide on Lake St. Clair developing the “St. Clair Slam” and "Super Slam" techniques and tactics in the pursuit of warm water species indicative of the region. He is also renowned for his waterfowl hunting on the waters of Lake Erie, be it layout shooting or hunting from a blind.

Capt. Brian, a FFF Endorsed Guide, has also appeared in a various fly fishing periodicals and television shows and was recently honored as 1 of the top 100 fly fishing destinations in the world by American Angler Magazine.

Michael Bennett

In Memory

Michael was one of the original "Steelhead Pro Staff" members.....launched in our Fall 1998 newsletter. Very close friends with Jerry Darkes and Brian Flechsig- their steelhead addictions in the 90's were of legendary proportions. Being a psychologist, many knew him as "Dr. Steelhead" and he was simply one of the finest fishing guides you would ever fish with!

Not only was he a guide for Mad River Outfitters...he was a friend, a mentor...and..."Head Mental Health Specialist".

Michael unfortunately passed away on May 9th of 2003. He retains a permanent spot on Mad River Outfitters guide staff! He is sorely missed to this day and is always on guide trips in spirit!

Josh McQueen-

Erie Steelhead, Smallmouth, Clearfork River, Ohio Pike

Josh Grew up in cetnral Ohio chasing smallmouth bass on the Kokosing River. He also went on his first trip to Lake Erie at age 11 and has been hooked on the fishery ever since. He has been fishing with a fly rod since age 14 and after catching a bowfin at East Harbor on a wooly bugger, his love and passion for fish on the fly has never stopped growing.

At age 24, Josh began guiding and teaching folks the art of fly fishing and has been guiding now for many seasons. He guides for steelhead and smallmouth but his real claim to fame is that he is the 1st "Pike on the Fly" guide in Ohio.

We are thrilled to have Josh on our guide staff and you will love fishing with him!